Denver -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Colorado man faces a murder charge in what he initially said was an accidental fatal fall by his second wife on a 12th wedding anniversary outing , and now authorities also are re-examining the circumstances of his first wife 's death .

Harold Henthorn , 58 , appeared before a federal judge in Denver on Thursday to face a first-degree murder charge in the death of Toni Henthorn , who died after falling off a cliff in Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012 .

The couple , who met through a Christian dating website , was enjoying an anniversary getaway and reportedly hiking in steep and rocky terrain when Toni Henthorn plunged 40 to 50 feet to her death , according to park officials and Toni Henthorn 's family .

Authorities have n't disclosed any motives . Toni Henthorn was insured for $ 4.5-million under three life insurance policies , probate court records show .

The documents also state that a claim was sent on one of those policies on October 1 , 2012 , two days after Toni Henthorn 's death .

However , no payment was made . The couple also had a daughter , who is now 9 , said Toni Henthorn 's brother Todd Bertolet .

Harold Henthorn said his wife 's death came when she slipped while taking a picture .

Coroner 's conclusion

However , an autopsy showed Toni Henthorn died from multiple blunt force injuries after tumbling face first over a ledge `` when she fell or was pushed down a cliff , '' the coroner wrote . `` Homicide can not be excluded . ''

A federal indictment says Harold Henthorn `` willfully , deliberately , maliciously , and with premeditation and malice '' killed Toni Henthorn , a 50-year-old ophthalmologist .

Henthorn was arrested outside his suburban Denver home without incident Thursday morning after dropping his daughter off at school , the culmination of a more than two-year investigation that involved the National Park Service , the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Douglas County Sheriff 's Office .

Defense attorney 's statement

The arrest was a long time coming for family members , who have had their suspicions , the brother said .

`` It was a day we were looking forward to , '' Bertolet said .

Bertolet said the family was immediately suspicious about the death because Harold Henthorn kept changing his story about what happened .

`` I think there are four or five versions of the story he told , '' said Bertolet .

Harold Henthorn 's attorney , Craig Truman , did n't want to talk about the cases outside the courtroom , but provided a statement to CNN , which said , `` I 'm sure when all the facts are known in this difficult and complex case , that justice will be done . ''

Authorities are now re-investigating the 1995 death of Harold Henthorn 's first wife , Sandra Lynn Henthorn .

First wife 's death

At that time , the couple was driving on a rural road about 10 miles outside Sedalia , Colorado , when Henthorn pulled over on a gravel shoulder to check a tire .

According to the autopsy report , Sandra Lynn Henthorn may have been looking under the car for a lug nut when the jack slipped and the car crashed down , pinning her underneath .

She was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery , but did not survive .

`` We can only say that there is an open , active investigation into the death of his first wife , '' said Deborah Sherman , a spokeswoman for the Douglas County Sheriff 's Office . `` We ca n't release anything else because of the investigation . ''

Bertolet said it was n't until after his sister 's death that his family learned the details surrounding the death of Harold Henthorn 's first wife .

`` We knew he had been married previously . But he told us that she had died during a car accident . There 's a big difference between a car crash and a car falling on you , '' Bertolet said .

`` I think if my sister had known the complete background on this guy , she never would have been with him , '' he added .

His ` dominant ' personality

His sister was living in Mississippi when she met Henthorn on the Internet , and he was in Colorado , Bertolet said .

She sold her practice in Mississippi to be with Henthorn in Colorado .

Harold Henthorn said he was a businessman who owned a company , but Bertolet said no one in the family really knows what he did .

Bertolet said Harold Henthorn controlled the couple 's finances .

Bertolet questioned his sister 's relationship with Henthorn , adding that he seemed like a very controlling person .

`` He was so dominant over my sister and the child . It was almost like whatever he said , went , '' Bertolet said .

If convicted in the death of Toni Henthorn , Harold Henthorn faces life in prison without parole and up to a $ 250,000 fine .

He is scheduled to be arraigned on the murder charge on November 12 , which is also a detention hearing .

CNN 's Michael Martinez contributed to this report .

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NEW : A claim was filed on second wife 's life insurance two days after her death

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Murder charge in second wife 's death leads police to re-examine first wife 's death

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Harold Henthorn says his second wife had a fatal fall on 12th wedding anniversary

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First wife Sandra Lynn Henthorn died when a car jack slipped , crushing her beneath car